Easton, Pennsylvania is a mid-sized city in the Lehigh Valley section of the state with a population of just over 26,000 people. Like most of the other municipalities in Pennsylvania, delinquent parking tickets are criminal violations that are collected by the local constables. Frustrated with the system of using constables, city and police officials were looking for a more cost-effective way to collect outstanding parking violations.
In response to an RFP, Kelley & Ryan City Hall Systems submitted a creative idea which essentially placed them in the role as collector, replacing the local constable for the first 90 days that a ticket is outstanding. As part of their proposal, KRCHS would provide each of their parking enforcement officers who were writing tickets by hand with their proprietary, state-of-the-art GPS driven parking ticket devices; kiosk service centers where people could pay their tickets without waiting in line at the collector’s office; robust parking collection software that provides its parking enforcement department up-to-the minute accurate information on the status of parking collections and revenue; and the use of the firm’s highly successful internet billing service where violators can pay their tickets online, and municipalities can print tickets tailored to their needs and send outstanding notices requesting payment.
All of these services are provided without an up-front cost to the city, and are paid for as a small fee incorporated in the fine. The program has been an outstanding success. The City is now proactive in its enforcement and collection services and has significantly reduced outstanding, late-paying violations, improving the cost effectiveness of parking enforcement.
Sharon, Massachusetts is a town located in Norfolk County with a population of approximately 18,000. Sharon was selling various passes to its residents for parking and beach privileges. The Town’s Department of Public Works managed the quarterly parking passes. Each quarter early in the morning on the day the parking passes went on sale, a line of people stretched for several blocks outside the DPW’s offices. Rain or shine, the residents had to wait in line for the chance to receive one of the limited quarterly parking passes. The DPW’s staff had to devote substantial time collecting the money and issuing the passes. Sharon’s Parks and Recreation Department managed the beach and boating passes. Each year the P&R staff also devoted substantial time issuing these passes.
The Town asked Kelley & Ryan City Hall Systems to create an online solution for these services. KRCHS developed an online ordering process for the Town that allows the pass applicants to order passes from the comfort of their homes. KRCHS staff handles the verification of information, the collection of funds, and the issuance of the passes. This complete solution offers residents 24/7 availability and saves valuable time for municipal employees. Applicant information is verified against pertinent databases, including a check for past due taxes, in accordance with Town instructions to ensure that the applicant is qualified to receive the requested passes. KRCHS provides customer support for all of its services, both to the Town and the applicants. KRCHS handles all applicant questions concerning the online ordering, verification, and fulfillment process.
Springfield, Massachusetts is the third largest city in Massachusetts with a population of 153,000 residents and an annual budget of more than $550 million.
In 2004, as a result of financial difficulties, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts established an oversight board for the City. Working with the oversight board and at their request, Kelley & Ryan City Hall Systems designed and implemented a number of collections software systems specifically tailored to the City’s needs. These new systems greatly enhanced the City’s collection management capabilities resulting in a dramatic improvement in their delinquent collections efforts.
To assist the City further, KRCHS placed two of their professional collection staff people in the Collector’s office which has improved the time that taxpayers wait in line to make their payments specifically during peak hours. Today the City of Springfield is running smoothly, and City officials attribute some of this success to the changes and management support that KRCHS provided during its most difficult financial times.
Newton, Massachusetts is a suburban city approximately 7 miles west of downtown Boston with a population of just under 90,000 people.
As part of the City’s initiative to make Newton a 21st century city by utilizing state-of-the-art software solutions that are secure, efficient and cost-effective, the City issued an RFP seeking a vendor to improve their online revenue collection services. Since being awarded that RFP, Kelley & Ryan City Hall Systems has partnered with Newton to expand and enhance their online collection services. Through KRCHS, Newton is now able to offer their taxpayers email notifications, electronic copies of their bills, and payment history. Recognizing that the needs of each City department are unique, City Hall Systems has been helping individual departments to address their collection needs.
For example, the City is collecting their taxes and utility bills online through the City Hall Systems ePayment site, is utilizing the City Hall Systems Point-of-Sale system to process counter payments, is allowing online payer initiated transactions through the ePayment site, and is managing the City’s dog population and collecting dog licensing fees through City Hall Systems’ animal licensing software. The relationship continues to expand as more of the City’s electronic payment needs are being addressed by Kelley & Ryan City Hall Systems.